Athletic skills camp aims to get Tri-Cities kids 9 to 18 out of the house and back in the game

As Kennewick’s Pacific Clinic, formerly the Tri-City Court Club, continues to evolve into its new role as a wellness center.

In danger of having to permanently shut down this summer under Gov. Jay Inslee’s state coronavirus guidelines, the company changed its mission to a wellness center to become an essential business.

The clinic has offered functional health protocols and programs, using natural ways to address health issues with an emphasis on lifestyle changes.

Those include exercise, diet, sleep and stress reduction.

To that end, the company has worked to expand its athletic development offerings.

While it’s already had some youth basketball camps, now it’s offering an all-day athletic development camp, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, for kids ages 9 to 18.

Cost is $80 for Pacific Clinic members, and $100 for others.

Steve White, who is organizing the event and continues to add coaches to the event, and he doesn’t want to keep any kid away.

“We provide scholarships to kids that can’t afford the event,” said White.

Right now, the coaching staff includes Kenny Dobbs, Keith Duncan, former CBC volleyball coach Michael Jordan, Jim Sandusky, White and Cody Wilson.

Wilson, who was a member of the Detroit Lions practice squad at one time as a receiver, specializes in strength training.

Dobbs is an international slam dunk champion, entertainer and motivational speaker.

Duncan is the head boys track coach at Kamiakin High School, leading the team to a state 3A title in 2019.

Sandusky might be the most well-known of all of them. The Othello High graduate had a stellar career as a wide receiver in the Canadian Football League, and is a member of the Central Washington Sports Hall of Fame.

White is a member of the Kamiakin High School athletic hall of fame — like Duncan — and played quarterback at both Walla Walla Community College and UNLV. He also was the Braves’ career scoring leader in basketball up until a few years ago.

For more information in how to sign up for the development camp, call 509-783-5465.

Basketball

Chiawana senior Talia von Oelhoffen had a standout performance a couple weekends ago at the Wootten Camp McDonald’s All-American Game selection camp in Mansfield, Texas, featuring girls high school basketball players ranked among the top 150 in the nation.

Von Oelhoffen, who has already verbally committed to playing next fall for Oregon State University, won the one-on-one competition, and was in the 3-on-3 finals competition.

ESPN ranks the 6-foot wing player fifth in the nation at her position among the Class of 2021, and she’s the 25th overall ranked player of 2021 In the nation.

Golf

Pasco High grad Janae Martinez was the medalist for the Columbia Basin College women’s team at the Southwestern Oregon Community College Invitational at Pumpkin Ridge on Oct. 26.

Martinez fired a 19-over-par 90 to win top honors for the Hawks, who also finished first in the team scoring ahead of the only other full team, host SWOCC.

On the men’s side of the tournament, CBC placed three golfers among the top eight placers, including Clayton Whitby, who shot a 6-over-par 77 to finish tied for third.

CBC’s Cameron Sjolund finished fifth with a 79 (8 over) and Tyler Anderson was eighth with an 82 (11 over).

Tyler Cassell of Grays Harbor Community College was medalist, shooting a 3-over-par 74.

The Hawks’ fall portion of the schedule is now over, with the final two events in the Spokane-North Idaho area canceled last weekend thanks to snow.

CBC will resume play in the spring.

• Richland’s Chris Nickola sank the fifth hole-in-one of his golfing career on a calm day Oct. 17 at Meadow Springs Country Club in Richland.

Nickola drilled his golf ball the requisite 170 yards on the No. 8 hole, using his 5-wood.

Rodeo

It looks like two athletes have qualified for this year’s 2020 World PBR Finals: Unleash The Beast, which is scheduled for Nov. 12-15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

But they’re not humans.

Instead, two bulls owned by Wentz Bucking Bulls in Prosser — Jasper and Red Clark — have qualified to be among the stock for the upcoming three-day event.

The two Prosser bulls will be among 97 bulls who have qualified for the event.

While one rider will be crowned PBR World Champion, one of those 97 bulls will also be named the 2020 YETI PBR World Champion Bucking Bull, earning an accompanying $100,000 bonus, at the conclusion of the four-day event.

Hockey

The National Hockey League Central Scouting bureau came out last week with its 2021 Preliminary Players to Watch list, and three guys who are either Tri-City Americans or possibly going to be one are on the list.

Goalie Talyn Boyko, defenseman Marc Lajoie and goalie Tomas Suchanek are all considered by the bureau as C listers, which means they could be drafted in rounds 4-6 of the NHL Entry Draft for 2021.

Boyko has an 88 percent save percentage in net.

Lajoie collected 8 goals and 5 assists last season, while compiling 68 penalty minutes.

Suchanek was an import draft selection by the Americans earlier this year. Suchanek plays in Czech Republic right now, and he has an 89 percent save percentage.

Either way, it seems the Ams could be loaded at the goalie position this coming Western Hockey League season, which is scheduled to begin Jan. 8.

This story was originally published November 5, 2020 at 11:02 AM.